From Observations and Pictures to Images: Learning Lab@PP2 in Tourism Classes

Abstract

Learning Lab@PP2 is a pedagogical tool that has been applied in a degree course in tourism at the Polytechnic Institute of Beja, specifically in classes of Professional Practice II. It advocates that the learning process should occur in the complex context of society, organizations and professional relations that characterize the tourism industry. The goal is to contribute to the development of professional skills in tourism and educate students as citizens who must be aware of their role in today's increasingly global world. Within Learning Lab methodology, this paper aims to share the benefits of using practical methods in tourism education environments, in this case based on two participatory exercises: (a) visual-based methodologies (photovoice); and (b) participant and non-participant observation as a method of analysing situations. The results from using this methodology will be also presented in addition to a discussion about the educational benefits framed by the experiential learning paradigm.